Ivona Žura Žaja

Influence of boar breeds or hybrid genetic composition on semen quality and seminal plasma biochemical variables

The enzyme concentrations of seminal plasma are important for spermatozoa metabolism and function in boars. The need has arisen for introducing a biochemical evaluation of semen, along with the usual standard semen analyses. There are no data on the influence of boar breeds on the seminal plasma biochemical variables investigated in this study. Therefore, the objective was to determine the influence of breed and hybrid genetic composition of boars on semen quality and seminal plasma biochemical variables. Semen samples of 27 boars (Swedish Landrace, German Landrace, Large White, Pietrain and Pig Improvement Company hybrid-PIC-hybrid), aged between 1.5 and 3 years, were collected. After evaluation of semen quality, the seminal plasma was separated from the spermatozoa by centrifugation of semen. The seminal plasma was subjected to spectrophotometric analysis to determine alkaline phosphatase (ALP), acid phosphatase (ACP), γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT), creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and to atomic absorption spectrophotometric analysis to measure the concentration of calcium and magnesium. Conventional semen quality variables differed depending on breed and PIC-hybrid genetic composition, though these differences were typically insignificant. In the seminal plasma, significant differences were determined in enzyme activity (ALP, GGT, CK and LDH) and in calcium concentration among boars of different breeds. There are, therefore, differences in semen quality and significant differences in the seminal plasma biochemical variables among boars of different breeds and PIC-hybrid genetic composition. The data and differences in semen variables detected in the present study provide knowledge for enhancing evaluation and monitoring of boar reproductive potential, semen quality and explain the potential causes of boar infertility.

Influence of different periods of the year and age on the parameters of antioxidative status and oxidative stress in the blood serum of breeding bulls

The sources of variations that may cause physiological differences between blood serum biochemistry parameters of bulls have not been investigated in detail. Aim of the present study was to establish influence of different periods of the year and the age of breeding bulls on parameters of antioxidative status and oxidative stress in their serum and to correlate these monitored variables. Research was performed on two groups, each comprising 9 Simmental bulls: a younger group (YB) (aged 2-4 years) and older one (OB) (aged 5-10 years). Blood samples for biochemical analyses were collected from jugular vein in cold (CP) and warm periods (WP) of the year. Reduced glutathione (GSH), uric acid (UA), total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS), and protein carbonyl content (PCC) serum concentration were determined, as well as activities of selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase (Se-GSH-Px), total superoxide dismutase (TSOD), manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), copper-zinc superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD) and catalase (CAT). Serum values of SeGSH-Px, MnSOD, UA and TP in OB were significantly higher compared to those in YB during CP of the year. Significantly higher PCC concentration in serum of YB and OB were established in CP of the year than in WP. TBARS serum concentration in YB was significantly higher in comparison to that in OB during CP of the year. It can be concluded that both OB and YB show a great sensitivity to climate condition alterations during CP in comparison to WP of the year and that YB show even greater sensitivity.

Differences in seminal plasma and spermatozoa antioxidative systems and seminal plasma lipid and protein levels among boar breeds and hybrid genetic traits

The objectives of this study were to determine the influence of breed and hybrid genetic traits of boars on lipid and protein concentrations and antioxidative system variables in seminal plasma (SP) and spermatozoa and their correlations with semen quality variables. Semen samples from 27 boars: Swedish Landraces (SL), German Landraces (GL), Large Whites (LW), Pietrains (P) and Pig Improvement Company hybrids (PIC-hybrid), aged from 1.5 to 3 years old, were collected. SP was spectrophotometrically analyzed to determine total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triacylglycerol (TAG), total protein (TP), albumin, and zinc concentrations. The antioxidative system in SP and spermatozoa was established spectrophotometrically by determining total antioxidative status (TAS), total superoxide dismutase (TSOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) parameters, as well as copper-zinc superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD) and manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) activity in spermatozoa. The hybrid boars had higher (P<0.05) SP concentrations of: TC, LDL-C and TAG than P and GL; HDL-C than P, GL and SL; and TP than P and LW. PIC-hybrid had lower values (P<0.05) in spermatozoa of: TAS and CuZnSOD than SL; TSOD and GSH-Px than SL and P; and MnSOD than SL and LW. Differences in SP and spermatozoa antioxidative system variables and the significant differences in SP protein and lipid variables exist among boars of different breeds and hybrid. Novel data and observed differences in semen variables among boar breeds and hybrids and their correlations with semen quality parameters in this study could contribute to better assessment of boar semen quality.

MODULATION OF SYSTEMIC INNATE AND ADAPTIVE IMMUNE PARAMETERS IN WEANED PIGS BY SINGLE ORAL APPLICATION OF IMMUNOBIOTICS

The aims of this study were to evaluate the effects of peroral treatment of 4-week old pigs at weaning (Day 0) with a single dose of levamisole (LEVA) or polyoxyethyle-polyoxypropylene (POE-POP), well known immunobiotics (IBC) and promising alternatives to dietary antibiotic growth promoters (AGP), on systemic innate and adaptive immunity by determining phagocytosis (PHC) and microbicidity (MBC) efficiency of their monocytes (MO) and granulocytes (GR), changes of serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and haptoglobin (HpG) profiles and kinetics of CD4+ CD8+ T cells expression during 5 weeks following the treatments. Levels of CRP were decreased by either POE-POP or LEVA (P<0.05) at Day 7 and 21, respectively. LEVA-treated pigs had increased levels of HpG (P<0.05) at Day 14 and 21, whereas POE-POP-treated pigs had decreased and increased levels (P<0.05) at Day 7 and 21, respectively. Both IBC stimulated in vitro PHC of GR (from Day 7 to 35) and MBC of MO (at Day 35) from treated pigs (P<0.05). MO from POE-POP-treated pigs exhibited increased PHC (P<0.05) at Day 35, whereas GR from LEVA- or POE-POP-treated pigs showed increased MBC (P<0.05) at Day 7 and 35, respectively. The pigs treated by LEVA or POE-POP had higher proportions of CD4+ CD8+ T cells (P<0.05) from Day 14 to 35 or Day 28 to 35, respectively. Tested IBC showed capability of stimulating particularly cellular components of nonspecific and specific immunity during early postweaning period before pigs reach adult immunocompetence values, and thus could be considered as potent immunostimulators in swine production. Key words: synthetic immunobiotics; innate/adaptive immunity; weaned pig VPLIV NA SISTEMSKO PRIROJENO IN PRIDOBLJENO IMUNOST PRI ODSTAVLJENIH PUJSKIH PO ENKRATNEM DODATKU IMUNOBIOTIKOV PREKO PREBAVNEGA TRAKTA Namen raziskave je bil ugotoviti vpliv lavamisola (LEVA) in polyoxyethylen-polyoxypropylena (POE-POP), znanih imunobiotikov, ki bi jih lahko uporabljali v prasicereji za boljsi prirast namesto antibiotikov, na sistemsko prirojeno in pridobljeno imunost pri odstavljenih, 4 tedne starih pujskih. Vsem živalim smo LEVA in POE-POP dajali preko ust (peroralno) in tedensko v odobju petih tednov dodajanja imunobiotikov ugotavljali stopnjo fagocitoze in protimikrobno aktivnost monocitov in granulocitov, raven serumskega C-reaktivnega proteina (CRP), profil haptoglobina (HpG) ter raven prisotnosti limfocitov T, ki izražajo gena CD4 in CD8 v krvi. Rezultati so pokazali, da je bila raven serumskega CRP znižana pri pujskih, ki so prejemali tako LEVA kot POE-POP 7. in 21. dan raziskave (p < 0,05). Pujski, ki so prejemali LEVA, so imeli zvisan HpG 14. in 21. dan raziskave (p < 0,05), medtem ko so imeli pujski, ki so prejemali POE-POP, 7. dan raziskave HpG znižan, 21. dan pa zvisan (p < 0,05). Oba imunobiotika sta v pogojih in vitro dvignila stopnjo fagocitoze pri granulocitih in protimikrobno aktivnost monocitov na 35. dan raziskave (p < 0,05). Pujski, ki so prejemali en ali drugi imunobiotik, so imeli 35. dan raziskave visje vrednosti limfocitov T, ki so izražali CD4 in CD8, od vrednosti na 14. ali 28. dan raziskave (p < 0,05). Rezultati raziskave torej kažejo, da sta oba imunobiotika pozitivno vplivala na izbrane kazalce delovanja imunskega sistema in sta potencialno zanimiva za uporabo v prasicereji za spodbujanje delovanja imunskega sistema in s tem boljsi prirast prasicev. Kljucne besede: odstavljeni pujski; umetni imunobiotiki; prirojena imunost; pridobljena imunost;

Dietary supplementation with mannan oligosaccharide and clinoptilolite modulates innate and adaptive immune parameters of weaned pigs

The aim of this study was to assess modulatory effects of dietary supplements mannan oligosaccharide (MOS) and clinoptilolite (CPL) as potential alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters (AGP) given to 4-week old pigs at weaning (Day 0) on their innate/adaptive immunity by determining: alterations in C-reactive protein (CRP) and haptoglobin (HpG) serum levels, efficiency of blood monocytes (MO) and neutrophilic granulocytes (GR) for in vitro phagocytosis (PHC)/microbicidity (MBC) and proportion of extrathymic double positive CD4 CD8 (CD4+CD8+) T cells throughout 35 days of the study. Neither MOS nor CPL changed the serum concentrations of CRP, whereas that of HpG was significantly increased in the CPL supplemented pigs (p<0.05) at Day 35. Activity of PHA of GR was significantly increased by both dietary supplements (p<0.05) from Day 7 to Day 35. Also, the GR from pigs fed with both supplements had significantly increased MBC at Day 7 (p<0.05), but at Day 35 such an increase was observed only for CPL. The in vitro PHC/MBC of MO did not change in either group of supplemented pigs. The pigs supplemented with MOS had a significantly higher proportion of CD4+CD8+ T lymphocytes at Day 28 (p<0.05). Although both supplements showed a promising ability to stimulate rather innate than adaptive cellular immunity, it does not appear that any solely applied natural substance such as MOS or CPL in the current study could be a competitive alternative to conventional AGP for improving health and promoting growth in weaned pigs.

Determination of Sublethal Mutation Causing Lavender Foal Syndrome in Arabian Horses From Croatia

Abstract The incidence of perinatal mortality of Arabian horses in Croatia is in accordance with the high frequency of lethal and sublethal mutations in Arabian horses in other countries. The objective of this study was to investigate the frequency of recessive genes causing lavender foal syndrome (LFS) in three Croatian breeds of Arabian horse and to compare these findings with the literature reports. Pedigree and molecular analyses indicated the existence of three distinct breeds of Arabian horses (Traditional Arabian, Shagya Arab, and Pure Arabian horse) in Croatia. Molecular analyses were performed on 100 blood samples (n = 100) of Arabian horses by analyzing isolated and quality‐tested genomic DNA. Polymerase chain reaction‐restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of the MYO5A gene was performed for LFS determination. The proportion of heterozygous carriers and the frequency of the LFS allele were lower in Arabian horse breeds in Croatia than in other reports. The LFS allele was found exclusively in the Pure Arabian breed, supporting the findings of other studies on Egyptian Arabian horses. The results are consistent with the interbreeding of Pure Arabian horses in Croatia with Egyptian Arabian horses. The Traditional Arabian and Shagya Arab breeds showed a lower frequency of the LFS allele. Based on these results, screening of the entire population of Arabian horses in Croatia for mutations responsible for multiple inherited genetic disorders should be included in breeding programs. HighlightsLavender foal syndrome in the Arabian horse breed population in Croatia.The allele for lavender foal syndrome was found in 9.62% of tested Arabian horses.Genetic screening of Arabian horses in Croatia to determine mutations is required.

Exogenous melatonin influences distribution of French Alpine buck spermatozoa in morphometrically distinct subpopulations during the non-breeding season

The aim of this study was to establish subpopulations of spermatozoa in bucks using the principal component (PC) and cluster analysis according to morphometric head and tail variables, and to determine differences in proportions of subpopulations between exogenous melatonin-treated and control bucks. The bucks (n = 12) were assigned to two groups comprising six bucks each. By the end of March, four melatonin implants were inserted in the bucks in the experimental group. Semen was collected weekly using an artificial vagina from March to May (the non-breeding season). Analyses were performed in stained smears by SFORM computer-assisted program for eight head and five tail variables. The PC analysis revealed four components with the most important value for each (head outline, head ellipticity, mid-piece length and width). Cluster analysis indicated there were three subpopulations (average-sized spermatozoa- C_1; small and less-elliptic - C_2; big and elliptic - C_3). Melatonin-treated bucks had a greater proportion of C_1 spermatozoa and a lesser proportion of C_2 spermatozoa during May (P < 0.05). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study where PC and cluster analyses were performed on buck semen with head and tail variables analyzed together, in the same analysis, to evaluate spermatozoa population. Also, this is the first analysis of morphometric variables for assessing the influence of melatonin on spermatozoa subpopulations. The positive effect of melatonin on the proportions of spermatozoa in subpopulations could have been a consequence of the decreasing the proportion of the subpopulation with the least head and tail sizes and ellipticity.

Effects of short-term exposure to mobile phone radiofrequency (900 MHz) on the oxidative response and genotoxicity in honey bee larvae

Exposure of different animal species to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) could cause various biological effects such as oxidative stress, genotoxic effects and dysfunction of the immune system. However, there are a lack of results on oxidative stress response and genotoxicity in the honey bee (Apis mellifera) after exposure to RF-EMF. This study was performed to investigate the effects of exposure to RF-EMF on the activity of catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione S-transferase, lipid peroxidation level and DNA damage in honey bee larvae. Honey bee larvae were exposed to RF-EMF at 900 MHz and field levels of 10, 23, 41 and 120 V m−1 for 2 h. At a field level of 23 V m−1 the effect of 80% AM 1 kHz sinusoidal and 217 Hz modulation was investigated as well. Catalase activity and the lipid peroxidation level decreased significantly in the honey bee larvae exposed to the unmodulated field at 10 V m−1 compared to the control. Superoxide dismutase and glutathione S-transferase activity in the honey bee larvae exposed to unmodulated fields were not statistically different compared to the control. DNA damage increased significantly in honey bee larvae exposed to modulated (80% AM 1 kHz sinus) field at 23 V m−1 compared to the control and all other exposure groups. These results suggest that RF-EMF effects in honey bee larvae appeared only after exposure to a certain EMF conditions. The increase of the field level did not cause a linear dose-response in any of the measured parameters. Modulated RF-EMF produced more negative effects than the corresponding unmodulated field. Although honey bees in nature would not be exposed to such high field levels as used in our experiments, our results show the need for further intensive research in all stages of honey bee development.

Acute whole-body low dose gamma irradiation does not affect humoral immunity in chicken

It has been documented that low-dose ionizing irradiation enhanced the immune response on both cellular and humoral immunity in mammals. In the present study three experiments were conducted to compare antibody titer against vaccinal strain of Newcastle disease virus after low-dose total body gamma irradiation in chickens. In all experiments, male Leghorn chicks were irradiated, on day 1 or 3 of life, with the dose of 0.05, 0.15, 0.30, 0.50 and 0.80 Gy gamma radiation. In two experiments, after irradiation, chicks were vaccinated with the commercial Newcastle disease vaccine by the nebulisation method. Blood samples were collected for serological analyses from day one or 7 up to day 28 in weekly interval, depending on experimental design. Specific serum anti- Newcastle disease virus antibodies were quantitated by hemagglutination inhibition assay. No significant effect on the level of hemagglutination inhibition maternal antibody titer and antibody titer against vaccinal Newcastle disease virus strain as well as on the antibody rate catabolism was found. The ionizing radiation used in the present experiment did not influence the humoral immune response in this light strain of chickens.